Google has announced that it's allowing potential customers to send messages to businesses directly from Google Maps. This will allow businesses to answer questions for those that get in touch, potentially increasing sales. Customers can access messages from the side menu in Google Maps, while businesses that want to take messages can install the new Google My Business app from Google Play and the App Store, check out this help page for information on setting up the app so that you can take messages from customers.

The feature, which is already available in the U.S. will be rolled out to other countries worldwide so everyone will be able to benefit from this feature. The only pre-condition to messaging businesses is for the business itself to enable messaging. Customers will be able to invoke a conversation using the message button on Business Profiles on Google Search and Maps.

Explaining how the integrated messages functionality in Maps will help you avoid embarrassment, Aditya Tendulkar, Product Manager, said:

“With these messages in Maps, you'll never have to worry about accidentally sending “I love you, Mom” to that shoe store you've been sending messages to.”

As it stands right now, most people are able to ask businesses questions and anyone can respond through the Local Guides feature. With the new messaging feature, people will be able to bypass the Q&A section and ask the business directly cutting down the response time.